Station-indicator



No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. T. SKELLY 8L W. J. NEILSON. STATION INDICATOR.

No. 500,082. Patented June 20, 1893.

l Z1 f l HucH 7T SKELLY Mm WILL/AM JNEILso/v (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2.

H. T. SKBLLY & W. J. NEILSON.

- STATION INDIGATGR.

No. 500,082. Patented June 20, 1893.

a IL g HUGH T SlrEL/ y WILL/Am J Alf/50N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH T. SKELL Y AND WILLIAM JAMES NEIIISON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STATION-INDICATOR.y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,082, dated .Tune 20, 1893.

Application filed November 30. 1892.l Serial No. 453,655. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, HUGH T. SKELLY and WILLIAM JAMES NEILsoN, ot' Boston, in the county of Suolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Indicating- Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists essentially, of an endless street or station indicating chain, such having alternately in its links engaging parts and disengaged parts with a suitable guideway, that acts'partly to sustain such, and to guide it in its rotary movement, and to fold such links on their return after displayment; of the said chain being actuated by a suitable Wheel and idler and such being regulated by a movable contact device and such engagedvwith a suitable trip gong device, and the wheel being actuated by an escapement means and such by a manipulating rope, wherebyeach card or link is moved consecutively; and -of the above means being sustained within a suitable cabinet.

Thisinvention has for its object to indicate forthcoming streets or stations while in a car. f

In the drawings Figure l illustrates my invention located in a car. Fig. 2 is aplan section of my invention. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line (x) and Fig. 4 is a cross section on line (y) and (y). Fig. 5 is a'transverse section in detail on line (e) and (z) as indicated by Fig. 2 as with the other sectional views. l (A) represents the outward case of my invention, such having the card chain guide- Way (a) which is continuous. (A) denotes a glassv face provided on the case,which is to permit display ment of the indicating moving cards (B). These cards have thereon such names as would represent a street or station that the car would next come to, as represented by Fig. 2 and are retained by the link parts (b). These link parts are so designed Vas to receive the ends of the card, and sustain such, by passing through both pins (b). These pins are to prevent the card from becoming out of contact with their link parts (b) which have their bodies U shaped, as represented by Fig. 3. The ends of these links as last mentioned, are engaged with the rod (C) in such a manner as to be kept in one line with each other and not receive a lateral movement, by being engaged with a smaller diameter thereof and with their card. These rods run horizontally with the raceways of the card chain and alternately engage with such as represented by Figs. 2 and 3.

By engaging the ends (c) of the rods alternately as described we are enabled to use a great nu mber of cardsin acomparatively small space as represented by Fig. 3, as the cards or links (B) when discharged by the rotary moving link engager (D) fold as shown by said view. This link actuator and sustaining wheel (D) can be designed various ways in construction, and shape. It can be either round, and the links to conform therewith, orl

have three or more angles thereon and the links to' correspond with such. Thus the design of this wheel as shown by Figs. 2, 3, and 5, are not positive. The link wheel (D) is an idler having its axis as with the wheel (D) on the vertical sides of the case (A) as denoted by (d) and (d) respectively. The operating shaft or wheel (D) has a reduced portion at each end; said portion being square in cross section, the faces of which form bearing surfaces for the spring pressed plunger (E), and to cause the said wheel to stop instantly with each card until shipped by the escapement means hereinafter described. l The plunger (E) is designed with a suitable broad face (e) to engagewith the respective sides of the plunger actuator (E) to'perform the function as previously described. The shank (e) of the plunger is guided by the projections (a') and (a2) on the vertical sides of the cabinet or case- (A), and has a spiral spring (e2) engaged therewith and with a pin (e3) therethrough, and with the lug (a2). This is to give thrust of the plunger to the plunger actuator for such reasons as before described. To the free end of the plunger shank is connected the depending arm (e4) engaged with the forked arm (f) of the gong arm fulcrum (f); whereby the gong arm (f2) is caused to strike the gong (F) on the discharge of each link card (B) automatically, and thus cause attention to be had to the newly appeared card. This gong is placed in a suitable case (A2) having a series of holes therethrough so as to permit the sound of the gong to be distinctly heard.

IOO

(a3) represents the described. The arm (G) on being swung in the direction denoted by thearrow on Fig. 4, and the pawl being engaged with the ratchet Wheel, the wheel (D) causes the card chain to move in the direction as denoted by the arrow on the above View through the ratchet wheel beingengaged with said pawl; and, when the manipulating rope (1) has been relaxed the pawl travels backward over the ratchet wheel without imparting movement to such, and engages with the next tooth of s'aid wheel, ready to repeat the aforesaid. To facilitate the return of the arm or lever G to its pri-L mary position we attach the spring (g4) to its arm (g) and to the vertical side of the cab` inet (A). The arm or lever (G) is limitedin its swinging movement by the stops (2) and (3)on the vertical side wall of the cabinet `or case, and these stops can be provided with suitable material to form cushions for such` Apawl carried thereon, a suitable ratchet wheel Our invention it will be seen, cany be easily engaged with a driving motor and made ap` plicable as an advertising machine by simply substituting for the names of places, such` Thus .we do not wish to limit ourselves to any one to strike against.

names4 as may represent other things.

application of our invention.

Having described our invention, we claimi n 1. In an indicating machine as described, an 3 endless displaying card chain consisting of `opposite links designed toreceive the ends ofi a card, such links pivoted on horizontal rods, cards combining said opposite links as to make a perfect link, said rods combining said links and designed to keep such in line with each other, the free endsof said rods `engaging with a suitable continuous guideway and being disengaged alternately, a chain actuating wheel and a supporting wheel as described,a` suitable cabinet such supporting said wheels axially, a card displaying opening thereon andthe said guideways, suitable plunger engaging parts on the actuating wheel journals, plungers engaging with said parts and a spring giving thrust to such and sustained by the cabinet, anarm retained by the plunger and a forked lever engaged therewith and fulcrumed on said cabinet, a gong hammer actuated by the forked lever and a gong in juxtaposition with said hammer and retained by the cabinet, a perforatedcase inclosing said gong and mechanism and retained by said cabinet, a suitable lever loosely fulcrumed on a journal of the actuating wheel, a snap pawl carriedby said lever,a suitable ratchet wheel secured to said journal and said pawl engaging with said ratchet wheel, a spring designed to return said lever after being moved, and stops tolimit its movement, suitable means to actuate the lever to mov the cards,substantially as set forth. 1 2. `In an indicating machine, an endless card chain having itslink connecting pins engaged and disengaged alternately with a continuous guideway, whereby the links are caused to fold after displayment, an actuating Ywheel and supporting wheel as described, a cabinet supporting said wheels axially, and havingacard displaying opening and provided with guideways as described, a-regulating means to govyern the actuating 4wheel for the purpose described and such combined with a trip gong mechanism, a suitable lever looselyfulcrumed on a journal "of the actuating wheel, a snap secured to said journal and a pawl engaged therewith, and said lever actuated bya rope or its equivalent means and having a spring engaged therewith to return such,'substau tially as set forth.

3. In an indicating mechanism substantially forthe purpose described, a card chain, consisting of opposite links, designed to receive the ends of a card, such links pivoted on horizontal rods or pins, cards combining said opposite links as to makea perfect link, andsaid 

